funding

While they cannot do anything about the weather, area farmers will be able to better prepare for heavy rain falls thanks to a $1 million contribution from the federal government.

Ottawa is investing $997,654 so the South Nation Conservation Authority can develop “a hydrologic model that will provide farmers with real-time weather and water information to help inform water management decisions.”

The 15-month project will construct an integrated groundwater – surface water forecasting model for the South Nation Watershed using HydroGeoSphere, which is a Canadian hydrologic simulator that predicts water movement on and through the ground.

The platform will help predict “water events” and provide an array of potential mitigation practices.

“Our government recognizes that Canadian farmers face risk every day in managing their businesses,” says Glengarry-Prescott-Russell MP Francis Druouin. “This investment is all about giving farmers the tools they need to adjust their farms to a changing climate. Helping farmers be better informed in making their water management decisions is good for the sector's sustainable growth, good for farmers' bottom lines, and good for the Canadian economy,” adds Mr. Drouin who announced the contribution on behalf of the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Lawrence MacAulay.